February 20, 2008 - It's really undeniable that the Lego Star Wars game were an absolute blast. And once the complete saga became available, many people wondered what would become the next franchise to have the honor of being converted into the little Lego-trademarked bricks. And it came as little surprise that the next Lego installment would come in the form of another LucasArts property, Indiana Jones. Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is slated to come out this summer for basically every system, and many are excited to see the classic Indiana Jones trilogy in Lego fashion.

The gameplay in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures will feature the same sort of level-based gameplay that was featured in the Lego Star Wars games. However, there will be several key upgrades featured in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. First of all, there will be a bigger focus on solving level-based puzzles with environmental items that you can actually use. The items that you find in gameplay will be used to solve Tomb Raider-like environmental puzzles, which is quite appropriate considering Indiana Jones and Lara Croft are both entrenched in the action-packed world or archaeology.

Another key difference in the gameplay is the athletic abilities of each character. Many who have played the Lego Star Wars games will remember that you needed different characters to perform different kinds of jumps or grappling moves. In Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, however, every character will be able to climb, swim, and perform other athletic moves.

But as much as Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures might be a departure for the series, there are still many things that will remain the same. One thing that is almost a given is the series' trademark humor. Producers have said that Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures will definitely retain the irreverent and goofy humor that made the Lego Star Wars franchise so memorable.

Also returning is the two-player co-op. The co-op play was an integral part of the Star Wars Lego games, and facilitated a pretty cool family play experience. This looks to remain unchanged in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. Some had hoped that there might be an option for online co-op with this title, but it seems that the team at Traveller's Tales wants to keep the game a family-friendly experience and as such have opted to leave the online element out.

As far as locations go, the producers promise that there will be many of the famous exotic locations from the movies brought to the game and rendered in Lego fashion. The game also features a hub where you can access the different movies and stages. In the Star Wars games, this hub was the Cantina featured primarily in the beginning of A New Hope. In the new Indiana Jones game, this hub will be Barnett College, Indy's place of academic residency.

If you've played Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, you know that Indiana Jones is an unlockable character. And producers at Traveller's Tales have promised that there will be more crossovers and secrets in Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, although they have kept mum on any specifics. I personally am hoping for a Han Solo appearance, with maybe a few unlockable Lego Batman characters to help hype up next year's Lego game.

In addition to the possibility of unlockable cameo characters, Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures will also feature a veritable slew of collectibles in the vein of the minikits of the Star Wars games. No word yet on what these collectibles will be, except that they will be Indy-themed.

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures is shaping up to be one of this summer's hottest releases. It will feature all of the trademark Lego elements that we've come to expect from the franchise as well as some new improvements that will keep the series looking and feeling fresh. So if you love Indiana Jones and you love Lego, get ready for a match made in heaven!

By
Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer

Game Features:

Developed by the same team at Traveller's Tales that created the LEGO Star Wars series.

LEGO Indiana Jones presents a tongue-in-cheek take on the first three cinematic adventures of pop culture's most iconic archaeologist.

Includes Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.